Golden Valley Charter School

About Golden Valley Charter School

Golden Valley Charter School is a public, non classroom-based program focused on personalized learning for students in grades T-K through 12th grades. What this means is that we strive to allow the maximum flexibility in creating a student’s individualized learning plan, so that the needs of that student can be fully met and his or her potential can be fully realized. To that end, our students receive a rigorous, standards-based education, combined with flexibility in delivery of content, materials, and pacing. The structure of our school is quite different from what many have experienced in education. W e have no classrooms, no playgrounds, no auditorium. Our students are all taught in their own communities, primarily in their homes, by their parents. Parents in our school are afforded the privilege and responsibility of facilitating their own student’s education. As a school, we provide accountability, documentation, materials, resources, assessment and support.

We provide a credentialed teacher called the Education Facilitator, or EF, who develops a close relationship with the student and the parent. This relationship is cultivated over time and is one of utmost professionalism and respect. The pivotal point of contact between the school and the student is the EF. The parent provides for the day-to-day instruction. The EF meets at least once every twenty school days with each student. During this meeting, the EF reviews the student’s work, assesses the work, interviews the student and parent, collects work samples and may provide assignments, directions and/or assistance in planning for the next learning period. The EF also helps the family complete required paperwork and provides guidance and counsel with regards to instructional strategies, curriculum, materials and other resources. In between meetings, there is frequent communication between the EF and family, through email or telephone conversations. In addition, the EF researches and arranges for curriculum for the student and completes documentation and paperwork for the school.

Our students participate in a variety of activities, both in the home and in the community. The school provides for classes and lessons through approved vendors. Students participate in all state and school-mandated assessments. Students work independently, in small groups, and at the community college. Just like any traditional school, on any given day, projects, lectures, quiet reading time, observations, labs, group work, playtime, sports, discussions and quizzes are going on all at once. It’s just that our ‘campus’ is a little bigger than what most are used to seeing. GVCS was developed in response to parent and teacher request.

Our most significant collaboration, by the very nature of our design, is with our parents, who partner with us to be fully involved in their children’s education. GVCS requires that the parents have a strong stake in the education of their child. GVCS offers parents the support and options necessary to teach their children in the ways their children learn best.

Credentialed teachers and parents also collaborate extensively to provide enriching community learning experiences using a wide variety of community resources. GVCS offers parents and students the opportunity to choose standards-based curriculum that reflects a student’s learning style, is appropriate to the student’s developmental level, and allow s flexibility for the student to progress at his/her ow n pace, while challenging his/her capabilities. In

January 2018, Golden Valley Charter School w as awarded the distinction of full accreditation by the Schools Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (W ASC).W ASC accreditation provides a certification to the public that our school is a trustworthy institution of learning, validates the integrity of our

school’s program and student transcripts, and assures the greater school community that our school’s purposes are appropriate and being accomplished through a viable educational program.